It is one of the most reasonable questions for consumers to ask.
Greece has a growing number of photovoltaic and wind farms. The sun and the wind have no fuel cost. So why is the electricity bill still high?
The answer lies in how the electricity system operates.
Photovoltaic and wind farms have very low operating costs and, when they generate abundant energy, they can indeed push wholesale market prices down.
However, electricity must be generated every moment we need it.
A photovoltaic system may produce a lot at 13:00, but demand can remain high at 20:00, when the sun has set. If there is not enough stored energy or other available clean generation, the system needs units that can quickly ramp up their production. Today, gas-fired power plants often assume this role.
And therein lies a critical point.
The wholesale market price is significantly affected by the cost of the unit needed to meet the final unit of demand. When this is a gas-fired plant, the price of gas and the cost of CO₂ allowances can disproportionately influence the final electricity price.
The European Commission noted that average wholesale electricity prices in Europe increased by 9% in 2025. Among the main causes were higher natural gas prices, slightly lower output from certain renewables, and the increased cost of emission allowances. Ember also notes that hours of high gas-fired generation were linked to significant spikes in electricity prices.
However, there is a second reason: the wholesale price is not the whole bill.
The consumer also pays for grids, regulated charges, taxes and other levies.
Therefore, “more renewables = automatically lower bill” is an oversimplification.
The more accurate equation is:
more renewables + storage + stronger grids + interconnections + flexible demand = less need for expensive fossil fuels.
And therein lies the real economic benefit of the next phase of the energy transition.
